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2 Kings 17
New International Version

Hoshea Last King of Israel(A)

17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea(B) son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years. 2 He did evil(C) in the eyes of the Lord, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.

3 Shalmaneser(D) king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute.(E) 4 But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So[a] king of Egypt,(F) and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore Shalmaneser seized him and put him in prison.(G) 5 The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege(H) to it for three years. 6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria(I) captured Samaria(J) and deported(K) the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan(L) on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.

Israel Exiled Because of Sin

7 All this took place because the Israelites had sinned(M) against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt(N) from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods 8 and followed the practices of the nations(O) the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. 9 The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that were not right. From watchtower to fortified city(P) they built themselves high places in all their towns. 10 They set up sacred stones(Q) and Asherah poles(R) on every high hill and under every spreading tree.(S) 11 At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the Lord’s anger. 12 They worshiped idols,(T) though the Lord had said, “You shall not do this.”[b] 13 The Lord warned(U) Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers:(V) “Turn from your evil ways.(W) Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.”(X)

14 But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked(Y) as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. 15 They rejected his decrees and the covenant(Z) he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols(AA) and themselves became worthless.(AB) They imitated the nations(AC) around them although the Lord had ordered them, “Do not do as they do.”

16 They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves,(AD) and an Asherah(AE) pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts,(AF) and they worshiped Baal.(AG) 17 They sacrificed(AH) their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens(AI) and sold(AJ) themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.

18 So the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence.(AK) Only the tribe of Judah was left, 19 and even Judah did not keep the commands of the Lord their God. They followed the practices Israel had introduced.(AL) 20 Therefore the Lord rejected all the people of Israel; he afflicted them and gave them into the hands of plunderers,(AM) until he thrust them from his presence.(AN)

21 When he tore(AO) Israel away from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat their king.(AP) Jeroboam enticed Israel away from following the Lord and caused them to commit a great sin.(AQ) 22 The Israelites persisted in all the sins of Jeroboam and did not turn away from them 23 until the Lord removed them from his presence,(AR) as he had warned(AS) through all his servants the prophets. So the people of Israel were taken from their homeland(AT) into exile in Assyria, and they are still there.

Samaria Resettled

24 The king of Assyria(AU) brought people from Babylon, Kuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim(AV) and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the Lord; so he sent lions(AW) among them and they killed some of the people. 26 It was reported to the king of Assyria: “The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires.”

27 Then the king of Assyria gave this order: “Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires.” 28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the Lord.

29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns(AX) where they settled, and set them up in the shrines(AY) the people of Samaria had made at the high places.(AZ) 30 The people from Babylon made Sukkoth Benoth, those from Kuthah made Nergal, and those from Hamath made Ashima; 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelek(BA) and Anammelek, the gods of Sepharvaim.(BB) 32 They worshiped the Lord, but they also appointed all sorts(BC) of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 33 They worshiped the Lord, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought.

34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and regulations, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.(BD) 35 When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship(BE) any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them.(BF) 36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm,(BG) is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful(BH) to keep the decrees(BI) and regulations, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 38 Do not forget(BJ) the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39 Rather, worship the Lord your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

40 They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. 41 Even while these people were worshiping the Lord,(BK) they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 17:4 So is probably an abbreviation for Osorkon.
  2. 2 Kings 17:12 Exodus 20:4,5
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2 Re 17
Nuova Riveduta 1994

Osea, ultimo re d'Israele; cause della deportazione del popolo israelita

17 (A)Il dodicesimo anno di Acaz, re di *Giuda, Osea, figlio di Ela, cominciò a regnare su *Israele a *Samaria, e regnò nove anni.

2 Egli fece ciò che è male agli occhi del Signore; non però come gli altri re d'Israele che l'avevano preceduto.

3 Salmaneser, re d'Assiria, marciò contro di lui; e Osea fu sottomesso a lui e gli pagò un tributo. 4 Poi il re d'Assiria scoprí una congiura organizzata da Osea, il quale aveva inviato dei messaggeri a So, re d'Egitto, e non pagava piú il consueto tributo annuale al re d'Assiria; perciò il re d'Assiria lo fece imprigionare e mettere in catene. 5 Dopo, il re d'Assiria invase tutto il paese, marciò contro Samaria, e l'assediò per tre anni. 6 Nel nono anno di Osea il re d'Assiria prese Samaria; deportò gli Israeliti in Assiria, e li collocò in Ala e sull'Abor, fiume di Gozan, e nelle città dei Medi.

7 (B)Questo avvenne perché i figli d'Israele avevano peccato contro il Signore loro Dio, che li aveva fatti uscire dal paese d'Egitto, sottraendoli al potere del *faraone, re d'Egitto; e avevano adorato altri dèi; 8 essi avevano imitato i costumi delle nazioni che il Signore aveva cacciate davanti a loro, e quelli che i re d'Israele avevano introdotti. 9 I figli d'Israele avevano fatto, in segreto, contro il Signore, loro Dio, delle cose non giuste; si erano costruiti degli alti luoghi in tutte le loro città, dalle torri dei guardiani alle città fortificate; 10 avevano eretto colonne e idoli sopra ogni colle elevato e sotto ogni albero verdeggiante; 11 e là, su tutti gli alti luoghi, avevano offerto incenso, come le nazioni che il Signore aveva cacciate davanti a loro; avevano commesso azioni malvagie, provocando l'ira del Signore; 12 e avevano servito gli idoli, mentre il Signore aveva loro detto: «Non fate una cosa simile!» 13 Eppure il Signore aveva avvertito Israele e Giuda per mezzo di tutti i *profeti e di tutti i *veggenti, dicendo: «Convertitevi dalle vostre vie malvagie, e osservate i miei comandamenti e i miei precetti, seguendo in tutto la legge che io prescrissi ai vostri padri, e che ho mandata a voi per mezzo dei miei servi, i profeti». 14 Ma essi non vollero dargli ascolto, e irrigidirono il collo, come avevano fatto i loro padri, i quali non ebbero fede nel Signore, nel loro Dio, 15 e rifiutarono le sue leggi e il patto che egli aveva stabilito con i loro padri, e gli avvertimenti che egli aveva dato loro; andarono dietro a cose vane, diventando vani essi stessi; e andarono dietro alle nazioni circostanti, che il Signore aveva loro proibito d'imitare; 16 e abbandonarono tutti i comandamenti del Signore, loro Dio; si fecero due vitelli di metallo fuso, si fabbricarono degli idoli d'*Astarte, adorarono tutto l'esercito del cielo, servirono *Baal; 17 fecero passare per il fuoco i loro figli e le loro figlie, si applicarono alla *divinazione e agli *incantesimi, e si diedero a fare ciò che è male agli occhi del Signore, provocandone lo sdegno. 18 Perciò il Signore si adirò fortemente contro Israele, e lo allontanò dalla sua presenza; non rimase altro che la sola tribú di Giuda. 19 E neppure Giuda osservò i comandamenti del Signore, suo Dio, ma seguí i costumi stabiliti da Israele. 20 Il Signore respinse tutto il popolo d'Israele, lo umiliò, e l'abbandonò ai predoni, finché lo cacciò via dalla sua presenza. 21 Infatti, quando egli ebbe strappato Israele dalla casa di *Davide e quelli ebbero proclamato re *Geroboamo, figlio di Nebat, Geroboamo distolse Israele dal seguire il Signore e li fece peccare gravemente. 22 I figli d'Israele si abbandonarono a tutti i peccati che Geroboamo aveva commessi, e non se ne allontanarono, 23 finché il Signore mandò via Israele dalla sua presenza, come aveva predetto per bocca di tutti i profeti suoi servi; e Israele fu deportato dal suo paese in Assiria, dov'è rimasto fino a oggi.

Origine dei Samaritani

24 (C)Il re d'Assiria fece venire gente da *Babilonia, da Cuta, da Avva, da Camat e da Sefarvaim, e le stabilí nelle città della Samaria al posto dei figli d'Israele; e quelle presero possesso della Samaria, e abitarono nelle sue città. 25 Quando cominciarono a risiedervi, non temevano il Signore; e il Signore mandò contro di loro dei leoni, che facevano strage fra di loro. 26 Allora dissero al re d'Assiria: «Le genti che tu hai trasportate e stabilite nelle città della Samaria non conoscono il modo di servire il Dio del paese; perciò questi ha mandato contro di loro dei leoni, che ne fanno strage, perché non conoscono il modo di servire il Dio del paese». 27 Allora il re d'Assiria diede quest'ordine: «Fate tornare laggiú uno dei *sacerdoti che avete deportato di là; vada a stabilirsi in quel luogo, e insegni loro il modo di servire il Dio del paese». 28 Cosí uno dei sacerdoti che erano stati deportati dalla Samaria venne a stabilirsi a *Betel, e insegnò loro come dovevano temere il Signore. 29 Tuttavia ogni popolazione si fece i propri dèi nelle città dove abitava, e li mise nei templi degli alti luoghi che i Samaritani avevano costruiti. 30 Quelli provenienti da Babilonia fecero Succot-Benot; quelli provenienti da Cuta fecero Nergal; quelli provenienti da Camat fecero Asima; 31 quelli provenienti da Avva fecero Nibaz e Tartac; e quelli provenienti da Sefarvaim bruciavano i loro figli in onore di Adrammelec, e di Anammelec, divinità di Sefarvaim. 32 Temevano anche il Signore; e si fecero dei sacerdoti per gli alti luoghi scegliendoli tra di loro, i quali offrivano per loro dei sacrifici nei templi degli alti luoghi. 33 Cosí temevano il Signore, e servivano al tempo stesso i loro dèi, secondo le usanze delle regioni da cui erano stati deportati in Samaria.

34 Anche oggi essi continuano a seguire le loro antiche abitudini: non temono il Signore, e non si conformano né alle loro leggi e ai loro precetti, né alla legge e ai comandamenti che il Signore prescrisse ai figli di *Giacobbe, da lui chiamato Israele, 35 con i quali il Signore aveva stabilito un patto, dando loro quest'ordine: «Non temete altri dèi, non vi prostrate davanti a loro, non li servite, né offrite loro sacrifici; 36 ma temete il Signore, che vi fece uscire dal paese d'Egitto con gran potenza e con il suo braccio disteso; davanti a lui prostratevi e a lui offrite sacrifici. 37 Abbiate cura di mettere sempre in pratica i precetti, le regole, la legge e i comandamenti che egli scrisse per voi; e non temete altri dèi. 38 Non dimenticate il patto che io stabilii con voi, e non temete altri dèi; 39 ma temete il Signore, il vostro Dio, ed egli vi libererà dalle mani di tutti i vostri nemici». 40 Ma quelli non ubbidirono, e continuarono invece a seguire le loro antiche abitudini. 41 Cosí quelle genti temevano il Signore, e allo stesso tempo servivano i loro idoli; e i loro figli e i figli dei loro figli hanno continuato fino a questo giorno a fare quello che avevano fatto i loro padri.

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2 Kings 17
New King James Version

Hoshea Reigns in Israel

17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, (A)Hoshea the son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3 (B)Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against him; and Hoshea (C)became his vassal, and paid him tribute money. 4 And the king of Assyria uncovered a conspiracy by Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and brought no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

Israel Carried Captive to Assyria(D)

5 Now (E)the king of Assyria went throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria and besieged it for three years. 6 (F)In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria and (G)carried Israel away to Assyria, (H)and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

7 For (I)so it was that the children of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and they had (J)feared other gods, 8 and (K)had walked in the statutes of the nations whom the Lord had cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. 9 Also the children of Israel secretly did against the Lord their God things that were not right, and they built for themselves [a]high places in all their cities, (L)from watchtower to fortified city. 10 (M)They set up for themselves sacred pillars and (N)wooden images[b] (O)on every high hill and under every green tree. 11 There they burned incense on all the high places, like the nations whom the Lord had carried away before them; and they did wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger, 12 for they served idols, (P)of which the Lord had said to them, (Q)“You shall not do this thing.”

13 Yet the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His (R)prophets, (S)every seer, saying, (T)“Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.” 14 Nevertheless they would not hear, but (U)stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who (V)did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 And they (W)rejected His statutes (X)and His covenant that He had made with their fathers, and His testimonies which He had testified against them; they followed (Y)idols, (Z)became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them that they should (AA)not do like them. 16 So they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, (AB)made for themselves a molded image and two calves, (AC)made a wooden image and worshiped all the (AD)host of heaven, (AE)and served Baal. 17 (AF)And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, (AG)practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and (AH)sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, and removed them from His sight; there was none left (AI)but the tribe of Judah alone.

19 Also (AJ)Judah did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20 And the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel, afflicted them, and (AK)delivered them into the hand of plunderers, until He had cast them from His (AL)sight. 21 For (AM)He tore Israel from the house of David, and (AN)they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord, and made them commit a great sin. 22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they did not depart from them, 23 until the Lord removed Israel out of His sight, (AO)as He had said by all His servants the prophets. (AP)So Israel was carried away from their own land to Assyria, as it is to this day.

Assyria Resettles Samaria

24 (AQ)Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, (AR)Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities. 25 And it was so, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear the Lord; therefore the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. 26 So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the rituals of the God of the land; therefore He has sent lions among them, and indeed, they are killing them because they do not know the rituals of the God of the land.” 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the rituals of the God of the land.” 28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the Lord.

29 However every nation continued to make gods of its own, and put them (AS)in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities where they dwelt. 30 The men of (AT)Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 (AU)and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites (AV)burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 So they feared the Lord, (AW)and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the [c]high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 (AX)They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away.

34 To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear the Lord, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which the Lord had commanded the children of Jacob, (AY)whom He named Israel, 35 with whom the Lord had made a covenant and charged them, saying: (AZ)“You shall not fear other gods, nor (BA)bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; 36 but the Lord, who (BB)brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and (BC)an outstretched arm, (BD)Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. 37 And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, (BE)you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. 38 And the covenant that I have made with you, (BF)you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39 But the Lord your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40 However they did not obey, but they followed their former rituals. 41 (BG)So these nations feared the Lord, yet served their carved images; also their children and their children’s children have continued doing as their fathers did, even to this day.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 17:9 Places for pagan worship
  2. 2 Kings 17:10 Heb. Asherim, Canaanite deities
  3. 2 Kings 17:32 Places for pagan worship
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